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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Paul compare his secret to in the beginning of the story?

2. What letter is stenciled on the brick wall in the background?

3. How many footsteps before the knock at the door does Paul hear on the morning of Part 1?

4. What kind of stamp does Paul's secret remind him of?

5. What does Paul view his secret as?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the snow talking to Paul in the beginning of Part 4, and what is it saying?

2. Where is the snow when Paul first sees it during the examination?

3. How is Paul's last response to his mother surprisingly looked at in his own mind?

4. What is the advertisement for in the newspaper Paul finds in the gutter?

5. What are two examples of how Paul views the outside world on his walk home from school?

6. How does Paul view his mother's concern at his disturbing behavior toward the end of Part 3?

7. How does the doctor attempt to earn Paul's trust and cooperation?

8. What is interesting about the way Paul views the doctor and his parents, and how he chooses to acknowledge them?

9. How does the snow take over Paul's room, according to the author's description?

10. How is Paul's confusion depicted in Part 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain what Paul's thought process is pertaining to his secret and hiding it from everyone.

1) Why does it become more valuable to him if no one is aware of it? How does he think it elevates him to a superior place? Which events in the story illustrate that the most?

2) What does Paul think would happen if his parents learned about the snow? How does he think they would react, and why is that an integral part in his decision to keep it from them?

3) What is the sacrifice that Paul is willing to make with regard to his parents? How is his rationalization one of the deepest signs of his detachment? What is so disturbing about it, and why is he unable to understand the severity of what he is thinking?

Essay Topic 2

While Paul is being questioned by the doctor, his parents react in some very interesting ways.

1) Explain in detail how Paul's mother and father act throughout the entire examination.

2) Which of their responses generates the most significant reactions from Paul, and why?

3) What are the main differences between the way Paul's mother and father respond to his answers? What are the reasons for their differences? Which one does Paul consider to be more of a threat at this point? Why?

Essay Topic 3

In an analysis of Paul's walk home from school in Part 2, provide answers to the following:

1) What are three examples of things that Paul sees, and how do they represent the character's state of mind?

2) How is the snow used to counter reality? Describe the way Paul views the snow in comparison to the real things he encounters.

3) What is his general impression of the outside world? How has it changed, and why?

(see the answer keys)

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